Law as leveller

The conviction of JMM chief Shibu Soren sends out a strong signal to those who feel that they can use their positions of influence to subvert the law.

The conviction of JMM chief Shibu Soren sends out a strong signal to those who feel that they can use their positions of influence to subvert the law. Today, the public is not willing to tolerate skullduggery by those in high places and this sentiment is well articulated in the media. The political class too has understood that it can no longer use the excuse of coalition era compromises to defend the corrupt. This is a shot in the arm for democracy.

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Pushpa Indernath
via e-mail

II

The conviction of a sitting Union minister for a life-term in a criminal case by an additional sessions judge is a triumph of democracy in face of unbridled corruption and criminalisation of power. The judiciary’s vigilance and courage holds out hope that a real clean-up of the system has begun.

Jyoti Vinay
Delhi

Musharraf musings

Apropos of the editorial Musharraf’s fantastical four (December 7), let us not forget that the proposal comes from a military ruler. The Kashmir problem can only be solved with the involvement of the people and through a democratically elected government. The General is well- known for chopping and changing his views on the issue. There is no guarantee that the present shift in Pakistan’s thinking will find favour with a successive government there.

Naval Langa
Ahmedabad

Chinese checkers

In his article Perfidy re-incarnate (December 5), AG Noorani has distorted history in order to take the sting out of the Chinese ambassador’s belligerent statement on Arunachal Pradesh. Beijing’s claim on Arunachal has always been a bargaining chip, made stronger by India’s unwise recognition of Tibet as part of China. The ambassador’s assertion was intended to up the ante before his President’s visit.

Harsh Ray
Mumbai

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